BUCKEYES OPEN SEASON AT CINCINNATI

Ohio State Men’s Basketball Gameday Nov. 7, 2018
Opponent Cincinnati
Site Fifth Third Arena (12,012)
Time 6:01 p.m. ET
Television ESPN2 | WatchESPN
Talent Jason Benetti (Play-By-Play)
Dan Dakich (Expert Analysis)
None (Sideline)
Radio OSU-IMG Sports Network (67 stations)
Listen Free: Ohio State Buckeyes App | OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Local Radio WBNS-FM 97.1
AM-1460
Satellite Radio Sirius (81) / XM (81)
Radio Talent Paul Keels (Play-By-Play)
Ron Stokes (Expert Analysis)
The Buckeyes open the season on the road at Cincinnati Nov. 7 at renovated Fifth-Third Arena. The teams have not met in the regular season since 1921. The Buckeyes have played just once at Cincinnati. That game took place in 1920. The teams last met in 2012, an 81-66 Ohio State win in the NCAA East Regional Semifinals in Boston.
Ohio State will appear on four major television networks again in 2018-19. This season marks the second year in which FOX will televise Big Ten Conference games. The Buckeyes, who have traditionally appeared on CBS, the Big Ten Network and the ESPN family of networks, will appear on FOX and/or FS1 four times this season. The first appearance will be at home Nov. 23 vs. Cleveland State at historic St. John Arena in the 2018 Buckeye Classic. (8 p.m./FS1).
Ohio State will play 13 games against teams among the Associated Press Top 25 or receiving votes for Top 25 consideration. Eight of those games will be played away from Value City Arena. The Buckeyes face No. 10 Michigan State (home/away), No. 16 Syracuse (home), No. 19 Michigan (away), No. 21 UCLA (neutral) and No. 24 Purdue (home/away). Teams receiving votes are Cincinnati (road), Indiana (road), Nebraska (road), Maryland (home/away) and Wisconsin (home).
On the Road in Ohio-Cincinnati Opener
Ohio State opens the 2018-19 season officially Nov. 7 at Cincinnati, the first meeting against the Bearcats on either team’s campus since 1921 (Columbus/L, 33-17/Dec. 10, 1921) and the first time at Cincinnati since the 1920 season (Cincinnati/W, 35-13/Jan. 3, 1920). Ohio State is 6-4 all-time vs. the Bearcats. Three of the last four meetings have come in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati defeated the Buckeyes for the national championship in both 1961 and 1962. Ohio State defeated UC in the 2006 Wooden Tradition in Indianapolis (72-50) and then most recently in the 2012 NCAA East Regional Semifinals in Boston (81-66). The last time Ohio State opened a season on the road was during the 2016-17 season when the Buckeyes traveled to Annapolis, Maryland, to face Navy in the Veterans Classic. Ohio State won that game 78-68 Nov. 11, 2016. Ohio State and Cincinnati will open the 2019-20 season in Columbus to complete the home-and-home agreement.

Starting Five

The Ohio State men’s basketball team traveled to Spain for 11 days over the summer. The Buckeyes played a total of three games, one in each stop during the trip, which began Aug. 1 with a flight to Madrid. Three days were spent in Madrid (W, 93-61 vs. Madrid Generals), Valencia (W, 95-63 vs. Valencia All-Stars) and Barcelona (W, 68-66 vs. Catalan All-Stars) before the team returned to Columbus Aug. 11. The team also experienced several cultural tours, team meals and excursions.
Chris Holtmann and the coaching staff welcomed its first full recruiting class to campus in June. Guards Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington Jr. along with forwards Jaedon LeDee and Justin Ahrens comprise the freshman class. Fifth-year transfer Keyshawn Woods along with Florida State transfer C.J. Walker also joined the squad last summer. Woods is eligible immediately for one year after transferring from Wake Forest. Walker will sit out the 2018-19 season and will have two remaining years of eligibility beginning with the 2019-20 season.

Ohio State vs. the American Athletic Conference
The Buckeyes have faced teams representing the American Athletic Conference on 40 occasions, winning 26. Ohio State last faced a current American Athletic Conference member Dec. 12, 2015, a 75-55 loss to Connecticut in Storrs.

Buckeyes Win Exhibition vs. UNC Pembroke
Kaleb Wesson recorded a double-double (12 pts./10 rebs.) to lead the Buckeyes in an 81-63 win over the visiting UNC Pembroke Braves last Thursday in Columbus. Ohio State won the battle of the boards 56-35 with six Buckeyes recording six or more caroms.